Letter 16: To the High-priest Theodorus.

To the High-priest Theodorus. When I received your letter, I was delighted — how could I feel otherwise on learning that my comrade and dearest friend is safe? I removed the seal, read it many times, and I cannot convey in words how I felt. I was filled with serenity and happiness and welcomed the letter as though it were an image of your noble character. To answer point by point would take too long and risk excessive rambling, but I will say what I especially approved. First: the fact that the Governor of Greece behaved insolently toward you, if a man of that kind even deserves the title of governor, proves that you acted on principle rather than for personal advantage. Second: you have shown that you understand what a priest's function truly is. You did not stay within the walls of your house or ignore the welfare of the temples. You visited the sick, helped the needy, and fulfilled the duties of your sacred office — not for display, but because you understood that this is what the gods demand. I urge you: continue on this course. Never relax your zeal. Never allow those who profess to worship the gods to act in a way that disgraces the gods. Our whole restoration depends on the character of the priests. If they are corrupt, lazy, or indifferent, the people will follow their example — and the Galileans [Christians], who are watching everything we do, will triumph. Remember: it was not their doctrine that gave the Galileans their strength. It was their charity to strangers, their care for the graves of the dead, and the apparent holiness of their lives. We must surpass them in all these things — genuinely, not as a performance.

To the High-priest Theodorus 3 [362, Jan. or end of 361. Constantinople] When I received your letter I was delighted, of course. How could I feel otherwise on learning that my comrade and dearest friend is safe? And when I had removed the fastening from it and perused it many times, I cannot convey to you in words my feelings and state of mind. I was filled with serenity and felicity and welcomed the letter as though I beheld in it an image, so to speak, of your noble disposition. To try to answer it point by point would take too long and perhaps I could not avoid excessive garrulity; but at any rate I shall not hesitate to say what it was that I especially approved. In the first place, the fact that the insolent behaviour to you of the Governor of Greece, if indeed a man of that sort can be called a Governor and not a tyrant, did not provoke your resentment, because you considered that none of these things had to do with you. Then again, that you are willing and eager to aid that city 1 in which you had spent your time is a clear proof of the philosophic mind; so that in my opinion the former course is worthy of Socrates, the latter, I should say, of Musonius. For Socrates declared2 that heaven would not permit a righteous man to be harmed by anyone inferior to him and worthless, while Musonius concerned himself with the welfare of Gyara 3 when Nero decreed his exile. These two points in your letter I approve, but I am at a loss how to take the third. For you write to urge me to warn you whenever I think that you yourself do or say anything out of tune. For my part I could give you many proofs that I believe myself to be more in need than you are of such advice at the present time, but I will put that off till later. However the request is perhaps not even suitable for you to make; for you have abundant leisure, excellent natural gifts, and you love philosophy as much as any man who ever lived. And these three things combined sufficed to make Amphion known as the inventor of ancient music, namely, leisure, divine inspiration and a love of minstrelsy.1 For not even the lack of instruments avails to offset these gifts, but one who had these three for his portion could easily invent instruments also. Indeed, have we not received the tradition by hearsay that this very Amphion invented not only harmonies, but besides these the lyre itself, by employing either an almost godlike intelligence or some gift 2 of the gods in a sort of extraordinary co-operation with them? And most of the great ones of old seem to have attained to genuine philosophy 3 by setting their hearts on these three things above all, and not to have needed anything else. Therefore it is you who ought to stand by me and in your letters show your willingness to advise me what I ought to do and what not. For we observe in the case of soldiers that it is not those of them who are at peace who need allies, but, I should say, those who are hard pressed in war, and in the case of pilots those who are not at sea do not call to their aid those who are at sea, but those who are navigating call on those who are at leisure. Thus it has from the very first seemed right that men who are at leisure should help and stand by those who are occupied with tasks, and should suggest the right course of action, that is whenever they represent the same interests. It is well, then, that you should bear this in mind and act towards me as you think I should act towards you, and, if you like, let us make this compact, that I am to point out to you what are my views concerning all your affairs, and you in return are to do the same for me concerning my sayings and doings. Nothing, in my opinion, could be more valuable for us than this reciprocity. May divine Providence keep you in good health for long to come, my well-beloved brother! May I see you soon, as I pray to do! 3 For the question of the authenticity of this letter see Introduction, on Theodorus. 1 We cannot identify this city. Theodorus may have improved its water supply, which would give point to the allusion to Musonius at Gyara below. 2 Plato, Apology 30d, Julian, Oration 2. 69b. 3 The Emperors banished offenders to this barren island, one of the Cyclades. For the discovery of water there by Musonius see Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 7. 16. The Nero of Philostratus is an imaginary dialogue with Musonius at Corinth, where he is supposed to have been set by Nero to dig the Corinthian canal; Julian praises Musonius in Vol. 2, To Themistius 265c, d. 1 Possibly an echo of the lost play of Euripides, Amphion frag. 192 Nauck; cf. Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 7. 34, for a similar passage. 2 Apollo son of Zeus is said to have given the lyre to Amphion. 3 An echo of Plato, Sophist 216c and Laws 642c; cf. Julian, Vol. 1, Oration 2. 82b, 92b.

[Πρός: Θεοδώρῳ ἀρχιερεῖ.] Δεξάμενός σου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἥσθην μέν, ὡς εἰκός· τί γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον ἄνδρα ἑταῖρον ἐμοὶ καὶ φίλων φίλτατον σῶν εἶναι πυνθανόμενος; ὡς δὲ καὶ ἀφελὼν τὸν ἐπικείμενον δεσμὸν ἐπῄειν πολλάκις, οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ παραστῆσαι τῷ λόγῳ δυναίμην, τίς καὶ ὁποῖος ἐγενόμην· γαλήνης ἐμπιπλάμενος καὶ θυμηδίας, ὥσπερ εἰκόνα τινὰ τοῦ γενναίου σου καθορῶν τρόπου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἠσπαζόμην· ὑπὲρ ἧς τὰ μὲν καθέκαστα γράφειν μακρὸν ἂν εἴη καὶ περιττῆς ἴσως ἀδολεσχίας οὐκ ἔξω. ἃ δ’ οὖν ἐπῄνεσα διαφερόντως, ταῦτα εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἂν ὀκνήσαιμι· πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι τὴν παροινίαν ἣν εἰς ὑμᾶς ὁ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἡγεμὼν πεπαρῴνηκεν, εἴ γε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἡγεμόνα χρὴ καλεῖν ἀλλὰ μὴ τύραννον, οὔπω βαρέως ἤνεγκας, οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος τούτων εἰς σὲ γεγονέναι. τό γε μὴν τῇ πόλει βοηθεῖν ἐκείνῃ βούλεσθαι καὶ προθυμεῖσθαι, περὶ ἣν ἐποιήσω τὰς διατριβάς, ἐναργές ἐστι φιλοσόφου γνώμης τεκμήριον· ὥστε μοι δοκεῖ τὸ μὲν πρότερον Σωκράτει προσήκειν, τὸ δεύτερον δέ, οἶμαι, Μουσωνίῳ· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἔφη, ὅτι μὴ θεμιτὸν ἄνδρα σπουδαῖον πρός του τῶν χειρόνων καὶ φαύλων βλαβῆναι, ὁ δὲ ἐπεμέλετο Γυάρων ἡνίκα φεύγειν αὐτὸν ἐπέταττε Νέρων. ταῦτα ἐγὼ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τῆς σῆς ἐπαινέσας, τὸ τρίτον οὐκ οἶδα ὅντινα τρόπον ἀποδέξομαι· γράφεις γὰρ κελεύων σημαίνειν ὅ τι ἄν μοι παρὰ μέλος πράττειν αὐτὸς ἢ λέγειν δοκῇς· ἐγὼ δέ, ὅτι μὲν πλέον ἐμαυτῷ νῦν ἢ σοὶ τῶν τοιούτων δεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω παραινέσεων, πολλὰ ἔχων εἰπεῖν, ἐς αὖθις ἀναβαλοῦμαι. τὸ μὲν οὖν αἴτηματυχὸν οὐδὲ σοὶ προσήκει· περίεστι γάρ σοικαὶ σχολή, καὶ φύσεως ἔχεις εὖ, καὶ φιλοσοφίας ἐρᾷς, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος τῶν πώποτε. τρία δὲ ἅμα ταῦτα ξυνελθόντα ἤρκεσεν ἀποφῆναι τὸν Ἀμφίονα τῆς παλαιᾶς μουσικῆς εὑρετήν, χρόνος, θεοῦ πνεῦμα, ἔρως τε ὑμνωδίας· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ τῶν ὀργάνων ἔνδεια πρὸς ταῦτα πέφυκεν ἀντιτάττεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα ῥᾳδίως ἂν ὁ τῶν τριῶν τούτων μέτοχος ἐξεύροι. ἢ γὰρ οὐχὶ τοῦτον αὐτὸν ἀκοῇ παραδεδέγμεθα οὐ τὰς ἁρμονίας μόνον, αὐτὴν δὲ ἐπ’ αὐταῖς ἐξευρεῖν τὴν λύραν, εἴτε δαιμονιωτέρᾳ χρησάμενον ἐπινοίᾳ, εἴτε τινὶ θείᾳ δόσει διά τινα συμμαχίαν ἀμήχανον; καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν οἱ πλεῖστοι τοῖς τρισὶ τούτοις ἐοίκασι μάλιστα προσσχόντες οὔτι πλαστῶς φιλοσοφῆσαι, οὐδενὸς ἄλλου δεόμενοι. χρὴ οὖν σε παρίστασθαι καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν τὰ πρακτέα καὶ τὰ μὴ παραινεῖν ἡμῖν προθύμως· ὁρῶμεν γὰρ καὶ τῶν στρατευομένων οὐ τοὺς εἰρηνεύοντας συμμαχίας δεομένους, τοὺς πονουμένους δέ, οἶμαι, τῷ πολέμῳ, καὶ τῶν κυβερνητῶν οὐχ οἱ μὴ πλέοντες τοὺς πλέοντας παρακαλοῦσιν, οἱ ναυτιλλόμενοι δὲ τοὺς σχολὴν ἄγοντας. οὕτως ἐξ ἀρχῆς δίκαιον ἐφάνη τοὺς σχολὴν ἄγοντας τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων ἀμύνειν καὶ παρεστάναι καὶ τὸ πρακτέον ὑφηγεῖσθαι, ἐπειδάν, οἶμαι, τὰ αὐτὰ πρεσβεύωσι. ταῦτα διανοούμενόν σε προσήκει τοῦθ’ ὅπερ ἀξιοῖς παρ’ ἡμῶν εἰς σὲ γίνεσθαι, δρᾶν, καὶ εἴ σοι φίλον, ταυτὶ ξυνθώμεθα, ἵν’ ἐγὼ μέν, ὅ τι ἄν μοι φαίνηται περὶ τῶν σῶν ἁπάντων, πρὸς σὲ σημαίνω, σὺ δὲ αὖθις πρὸς ἐμέ περὶ τῶν ἐμῶν λόγων καὶ πράξεων· ταύτης γάρ, οἶμαι, τῆς ἀμοιβῆς οὐδὲν ἂν ἡμῖν γένοιτο κάλλιον. ἐρρωμένον σε ἡ θεία πρόνοια διαφυλάξαι πολλοῖς χρόνοις ἀδελφὲ ποθεινότατε. ἴδοιμί σε διὰ ταχέων, ὡς εὔχομαι.